Back to school season is fast approaching and the Whitley County Bus Garage held a voluntary “Road-e-o” and driver course Friday morning to help drivers prepare for the upcoming school year.

“Our bus drivers average about 900,000 miles a year in the Whitley County School System and service 9 schools,” Bobby Blakley, Director of Transportation for Whitley County School System said.

Drivers must first complete and pass a 100-question test before moving forward to the obstacle course. Some of the skills being tested were mirror usage, how to properly stop at railroad crossings, parallel parking, and sharp right turns.

“This course is similar to the course that we train our new drivers on, just a little tighter,” Jordan Spitser, bus driver and event organizer said.

School bus driver trainer Lloyd Carter said there were currently 6 in his new driver training class.

“I think we started with 8 but we’re down to 6," Carter added.

“It’s a very stressful and overlooked job,” Spitser said. “People think they want to be a school bus driver and then when they come in and go through the class and get behind the wheel of one of these buses, a lot of people end up changing their mind.”

“We are out here today to test our skills and keep them current,” Spitser said.

This Road-e-o and driver course was the first under this administration and they hope for more participation next time. Thomas Perkins won the driver course and was presented with a plaque.

The following participated in the driver course: Thomas Perkins, Jimmy Dobson, Chuck Rose and Al Ysidro.

Drivers first had to take a written exam prior to “getting out in the field.”